From the world famous, ultra-modern Science Museum to the tiny, 19th-century Old Operating Theatre, the capital has science and medical museums to suit all tastes and budgets; many offer free admission, too.
1. Science Museum Free
Want to discover and interact with the major scientific advances of the last 300 years? Then head to the Science Museum! Get hands-on with interactive exhibits at the Wonderlab gallery; take a virtual reality trip through space, catch a glimpse into the future through technology and much more.
Exhibition Road, South Kensington, London, SW7 2DD
Free
Navigate through space and time at the Royal Observatory Greenwich. Straddle the Prime Meridian Line, study clocks that solved the longitude problem and look into some of the world's most important telescopes. You can find even more awesome astronomy at the on-site planetarium.
Greenwich Park, Greenwich, London, SE10 9NF
From £24.00
3. Wellcome Collection Free
A museum for curious minds, the Wellcome Collection gives visitors a unique insight into what it means to be human. Many collections are nothing short of bizarre, from a Peruvian mummified man to a robot used in the human genome project. Free guided tours take place most days.
183 Euston Road, London, NW1 2BE
Free
London, SE1 7EP
From £12.00
5. Anaesthesia Heritage Centre Free
Delve into the fascinating history of medicine and anaesthesia.
Whether you're an anaesthetist or just curious, make your way to the unusual Anaesthesia Heritage Centre where you'll discover more than 4,500 objects dated from 1846 to the present day – all of which played a part in historical advancements in medicine, pain relief and resuscitation.
Best for: Medicine
21 Portland Place, Marylebone, London, W1B 1PY
Free
For a day out that'll make you glad anaesthetic was invented, take a trip to the British Dental Association Museum. From barber surgeons to toothdrawers, rotten teeth to the first painful root canals, and 19th-century dental floss to clockwork drills, you can relive the history of dentistry in all its gory glory.
64 Wimpole Street, Marylebone, London, W1G 8YS
Free
This museum brings the history of St Bartholomew's Hospital (or Barts) to life using interactive displays. Be transported back into the world of a 13th-century sister or a 15th-century apprentice surgeon and study original drawings that illustrate interesting medical cases.
North Wing, St Bartholomews Hospital, West Smithfield, London, EC1A 7BE
Explore how science and design solve engineering challenges.
This quirky museum in London is a must for anyone with a love of machines and engineering. Opened in 1874 as David Kirkaldy’s Testing and Experimenting Works, this joyfully weird museum showcases Kirkaldy's 116-ton "universal testing machine" which still works, even after years of use testing materials’ strength for bridges, locomotives, ships, airliners and more.
Best for: Engineering
99 Southwark Street, London, SE1 0JF
From £8.00
9. The Faraday Museum Free
This grand old building has been home to some of the world's greatest scientific minds and now houses artefacts used in history's most famous experiments. Discover how scientists built the first transformer or try your hand at the chemical elements game at The Faraday Museum at the Royal Institution.
The Royal Institution, 21 Albemarle Street, London, W1S 4BS
Free
Get a rare insight into the history of operating techniques.
Go back in time as this restored 19th-century operating theatre tells the story of surgery and herbal medicine from the 13th to the 19th centuries. Housed on top of a church, The Old Operating Theatre Museum and Herb Garret is one of the most interesting and quirky museums in London and home to fascinating (and slightly creepy!) furniture, surgical instruments and other pharmaceutical objects.
Best for: Medicine
9A St Thomas' Street, London, SE1 9RY
From £7.50
